


Old Burns, New Flames

by hawkeyesmyguy



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-08
Updated: 2015-03-08
Packaged: 2018-03-17 00:10:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 22,022
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3507827
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hawkeyesmyguy/pseuds/hawkeyesmyguy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>So this is sort of a jump from Bia and Derek. They ended up (in our heads) having built a home meant for supernatural creatures like themselves and they take in 'strays' or orphaned creatures, usually kids most importantly. Jack is now a Hale and he's still adjusting even as he's growing older. But he meets Natalie who helps him understand he's really not alone, even if she is human.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Old Burns, New Flames

Natalie Rushman never skipped class. Not because she feared the consequences of doing so, but more because she really didn't need to bother sluffing when she was entitled to skip so many of her classes between being on the student council and being the youngest cheerleading squad captain Beacon Hills High had ever seen. She was only a freshman, but in the few months since the school year began she’d quickly and decisively established herself as the most popular girl in school and had everyone from freshmen to seniors to many of the staff at the school tripping over themselves to gain her favor.

It certainly didn’t hurt that her parents were among the top donors to the school’s budget, but even still the petite blonde had adopted a policy of take no prisoners from day one of her high school career and it had paid off for her in spades. Considering all that she had come from and left behind, Natalie was more determined than any girl in her grade, likely in the whole school to climb her way to the top of the food chain and then stay firmly planted there. She refused to ever let anyone look down on her again, even if that meant stepping on a few people herself.

She quickly learned that the few uncontrollable variables in Natalie’s ideal high school existence all came from the same place: The Hale House, a foster home run by the descendants of one of the oldest families in Beacon Hills who seemed to have made it their mission to take in less fortunate children of all ages, provided that they were the wildest, biggest social pariahs possible anyway it seemed. 

Every kid who lived there and attended Beacon Hills High was odd in some way, though not all necessarily bad. Many of them were among the best sports players, a few topped the honor roll charts, but mostly… They tended to be the biggest delinquents. The kids from Hale House tended to keep to themselves in their own little clique which was more than fine with Natalie, she didn’t need weird kids like them messing up her pecking order.

Natalie found herself in a rare situation, walking alone through the school on her way to a special cheer practice she’d arranged for her team in light of the big fall festival lacrosse game coming up. Mostly it was just an excuse to get out of her fourth period science class for two weeks, that class was a joke anyhow she was passing with her eyes closed, but with her dad signing checks for the entire team’s new equipment budget, there wasn’t a single administrator who nay-sayed her practice schedule. She turned the corner towards the gym, but something out the window caught her eye: the slightest dusting of snowflakes swirling in the unseasonably crisp November air.

It was rare to see snow in their area, especially in November, so she stopped to admire the little glittery flecks blowing in the wind despite melting the instant they hit the ground. Her hazel eyes wandered over the school courtyard and out to the empty lacrosse field, her delicate brows knitting when she saw that there was a lone boy sitting out on the bleachers with a lacrosse stick resting in the crook of his shoulder, in nothing but a t-shirt and gym shorts no less. Natalie cocked her head and peered a little harder, but it was difficult to make out if the boy was anyone she knew.

She felt the urge to wander outside, find out who he was and what he was doing out there by himself in the cold, but she knew she had practice to get to. Her girls knew their routine frontwards and back she made sure of that, but… Still she ought to at least put them through their paces. Natalie made up her mind and hurried to the gym, but her thoughts kept wandering to the image of the boy sitting alone in the cold. It brought back old feelings of painful loneliness she thought she’d managed to bury and forget.

Jack Morrison was accustomed to new places really but this was the first time he ever had to do this with others surrounding him. Beacon Hills wouldn't have been his first choice in places to live but it would do he guessed for now. He honestly didn't get a say in the matter anymore but at least he supposed he had the privilege of getting to even attend real school. Some of the more uncontrolled or newborns were forbidden from coming out too far unsupervised. A part of jack considered that his new 'father' Derek might have eyes on him always.

He'd found his place though or so he hoped, Stiles and Scott had introduced him to lacrosse and he was fond of the sport since he started practicing it. He wondered if he'd succeed on the team at all or if the competitiveness in him might wind up hurting him or someone else in the end.

The field was what he knew best now at least and if it was all he could have then he'd take it. Jack sat on the bench in the cool air, barely noticing it against his warm flesh. The faults of being what he was... made him hot almost always. He could see the redness to his hands and forearms, showing that like any normal human his skin was reacting to cold but despite the snow he couldn't feel any part of it.

He spent most his skipped periods out here and honestly he was surprised he got away with it as much as he did. His eyes cast out across the field, twisting the stick in his hand as he debated on running. It'd have been the second time he tried but a part of him... couldn't just do that. Why? He hardly knew anymore but it didn't feel right.

He spent the next couple class periods out on the field, until his body was over heated. Well... in a different manner. He was balancing his control, learning in the open wasn't the smartest but he didn't care right now. By the time he was done it was the end of the day.

Jack went to his locker and weave through the few remaining people and avoiding most everyones gaze. He hadn't made friends except for the few he started to get to know on the lacrosse team. He was ready for a long run home, a night with his best friend... his rat.

He dug through his locker and pulled out what he'd need for the night though he likely wouldn't do any of the work he was supposed to. Jack couldn't focus on things like that, spending most of his time in thought or practicing control.

 

Every day except one the rest of the week, Natalie saw the solitary young man sitting out on the bleachers in the cold. There were no more flurries of snow, but it was still unseasonably cold and she wondered how and why he would sit out there for who knew how long without a jacket at least. Finally on friday the blonde’s curiosity trumped her caution and she told her cheer squad to get to work rehearsing while she ran her own errands and marched straight out to the lacrosse field without bothering to follow her own advice of donning a coat over her less than modest cheerleading uniform.

Natalie finally put a name to his face when she got halfway across the field and could barely make out his features from beneath his unruly mop of curly chestnut hair, Jack Morrison. He was a grade or two ahead of her but since she was on the student council new students were always brought to her attention by the faculty so the council members could help new kids feel welcome. Not that she tended to do much of that unless it was immediately obvious they would be good candidates for her elite group.

It was a wonder to her that he’d been spending all this time out here, for one that he hadn’t been caught and punished for skipping class in such an obvious place, then again maybe that was the brilliance of it, he was so blatantly visible that people who saw him just assumed he was supposed to be out here. But mostly as her own chattering teeth and goosebump covered skin were telling her, it was freezing out here and she couldn’t fathom why he spent at least an hour a day on the cold metal bleachers, exposed to the winter winds. Sure this part of California didn’t get that cold relatively speaking, but her five minute walk out here already had her aching for her coat and scarf, and especially some mittens for her rapidly freezing fingers.

Still, ever poised and in control, Natalie didn’t allow a fraction of her discomfort to show as she strode across the grass towards the curious new addition to her school. He didn’t seem to notice her until she was practically right in front of him, staring off into space, his breath escaping his lips in little steamy puffs. He jolted slightly when he finally noticed her standing before him, his dark chocolate eyes sweeping gratuitously over her figure. 

She didn’t mind that he was staring, not really, the young woman worked hard to maintain the perfect balance of an athletic build that still boasted alluring curves, controlling her diet and exercise down to the tiniest detail. Natalie knew how killer she looked in her cheer uniform, and she’d known for a long while despite her young age that the way she looked and how she flaunted it could get her nearly anything she wanted from boys and grown men alike.

“Aren’t you cold? It’s not exactly t-shirt weather out here.” Natalie spoke in her sweet, deep feminine voice, automatically slipping into her routine of being as alluring as possible just in case this guy could be of any use to her later on. A small part of her wondered if he was all right, if he felt as lonely as he looked and it made her heart quail at the memories of her own loneliness, so she quickly pushed that part of herself down as quickly as possible and focused on maintaining her front of confident queen bee.

He was outside again, in the cold as usual. He hadn't gone to any classes today, feeling he couldn't hold up for that long in this environment. He hardly noticed the blonde wander up until she was speaking to him and right in his face almost.

Jack hadn't talked to very many kids at school, how dark eyes casting up along the slender frame of the girl before him. For a long while he forgot how to even speak until she waved a hand in front of him and repeated her question. He stared again and shook his head, quiet even as she asked if he could speak.

"No." He said finally when she was sure to leave soon. Jack knew he seemed strange to people outside of the Hale House but he couldn't exactly fix himself. She spun back to him and again he looked her over.

She asked if he was alright out here and he nodded, "Yes. Sorry... I get lost in my own head. Sort of a big empty place yknow? Easy to do." He tried to joke, shifting and fidgeting with the lacrosse stick he held. She laughed at least enough to make him feel less awkward and he made himself smile like Bia told him he should.

The blonde smiled back and wondered aloud again if he needed a jacket. This time he shook his head, "I'm well adjusted to cold. It doesn't bother me all that much." Jack assured, "Don't worry too much about me." He grinned again, straightening out.

She started to extend her hand and he did the same. "I'm Jack." He said before she could introduce herself, gently squeezing her hand rather than shaking it. She smiled and claimed she knew considering new kids became big talk. "Right. Well I guess if I'm the focus then there must not be a lot going on here."

 

Natalie raised her delicate brows and shook her head slightly in response to his comment, “Quite the opposite in fact. One of the biggest events for this school of the year is coming up next week, the fall festival.” She countered, shaking her head slightly at his blank look despite there being banners all over the school about it and daily announcements counting down towards it. 

“There’ll be all kinds of food and games during the day, then the lacrosse game and the bonfire dance party afterwards of course.” She elaborated, grinning at his slightly pained look when she said the words ‘bonfire’ and ‘dance.’ She knew it was only natural for new kids to be shy, but he had been here over a month now, surely he had made some friends by now to go with.

“I know you made the lacrosse team, but… I haven’t seen you at any of the games, even on the bench. You going to be playing in the game next week?” She prompted, trying to switch the subject to something about the festival he might be more willing to talk about. Still the young man didn’t offer a response, so she tried again. 

“I don’t remember Coach McCall suspending anyone from playing so far this season. Did you get injured or something? Is that why you’re out here on your own so much? Trying to build strength back up from getting hurt?” Nat asked, starting to wander back towards the school hoping he’d follow to keep her engaged in conversation. She was starting to go numb from the cold, so if he wanted to continue this small talk, he’d have to do it inside.

As she expected he hopped off the bench and jogged up to match pace with her, slinging his lacrosse stick over his shoulder as he came up beside her. Natalie flinched internally at the sudden movement so close to her body, but she had drilled into herself not to react outwardly to things like that over the years so she gave no outward sign of her ingrained automatic fear response of being hit.

Jack felt a little stupid... more than a little, having not noticed the signs all over posted for the festival. He took them in for a moment as she started off. He really did get sucked inside his own mind far too much and far too deeply sometimes.

He saw her move and he snapped upright, going with her and not paying attention to how she reacted to the movement. He ruffled his hair and felt the sudden need for company. For the first time in probably his whole life. "I'm umm... I'm not injured." He said finally, walking close beside her and almost begging that she keep talking so he didn't have to.

She nodded and of course asked what his reasoning for sitting out was then. Jack thought for a moment, considering a good excuse when really it was his fear and Scott's that he couldn't gain full control. "I'm the new kid... starting the season a little late yknow? Coach wants me to make up for lost time I think." He explained quickly.

Her pace picked up and he looked around, wondering where they were heading right now. His eyes casted over her tight uniform once more and it clicked what she was. "So you're a cheerleader?" He asked, not sure why she laughed at him but chuckling because he thought he should. She confirmed that she was, pushing through the doors and heading towards the main hall. "Do cheerleaders cheer for lacrosse? I'm trying for this week's game so if you did I'd see you there."

 

Natalie let his little over-obvious observation slide, giggling as she preceded him into the school and strode confidently down the main hall back towards the gym. “Yep we sure do. It is the cornerstone of this school after all.” She answered, looking over her shoulder and giving him an alluring smile.

“You could see me there, if you plan on showing up this time.” She added with a flirtatious laugh as she paused at the gym door and held her hand up to bar him from entering with her since he seemed perfectly content to simply follow her wherever she led him.

“But if you’re not a cheerleader yourself, you probably shouldn’t let our coach see you showing up to our practice when it’s during class hours.” She advised with an amused smirk as he seemed to suddenly realize what she was getting at and backpedaled from the door making a stammering excuse about needing to get to his own class.

“I’ll see you around Jack.” She said in farewell before disappearing through the doors, not even waiting long enough to hear his response if he gave one. Natalie had basically written the guy off the second he started talking to her, he didn’t at all fit the mold she typically looked for in a guy to have her fun with.

Natalie all but forgot about Jack in the days that followed, going through her routine and doing everything just right to keep herself in the most advantageous position possible within her circle and the school in general. When the day of the festival finally arrived, she spent most of the day busy with her student council duties and had to rush to get ready for the big game.

The match was against a lesser known school and it was largely assumed that Beacon Hills would take an easy victory, but that didn’t stop Natalie and her squad from making sure everyone knew exactly how soundly their team was going to beat the visiting school into the ground. Natalie always felt exhilarated cheering at matches, all eyes on her when she led her girls out on the turf, commanding the whole crowd’s response and knowing beyond a doubt that she was the best and prettiest girl on the field. It made it easy to forget how small and worthless she’d felt for such a large part of her life, and sometimes she wished the games would never end.

The petite blonde found herself getting more and more distracted as the game went on, one player in particular was shining on the field that night and the whole crowd was abuzz over his performance. But she didn’t recognize the name or number on his back when she finally spotted him. Morrison… Why couldn’t she place it? Finally at the end of the game which this Morrison guy practically won single-handedly for his team, he pulled his helmet off to greet their coach and seeing his face suddenly jogged her memory before he was lost in the crowd of his coach and team congratulating him.

Jack Morrison. That quiet awkward guy she’d met a few days ago, he was the one that had stolen the show, been the hero of the game? Of all people, he was the one poised to grab instant celebrity status at their school, and maintain it assuming he played even half as well as he had tonight for the rest of the season? 

Natalie’s thoughts raced and she made up her mind almost instantly, she had to make sure she got ahold of him. She could think of a dozen girls right off the top of her head who’d be gunning for him at the bonfire that night, and if they managed to hook him they’d become an unbeatable threat to her status and they all knew it. She smiled to herself, recalling the way he’d ogled her for more than half of their first conversation, there was no way tonight was going to end any other way than Natalie getting exactly what she wanted.

Jack had never felt so good about himself as he did after that first game. It wasn’t like any other rush he ever felt. Then again this was the first time any activity he participated in got positive feedback especially from this large of a crowd. He was certain his shock showed on his face as much as his smile as he received pats on the back and high fives as well as a kiss on the cheek from a girl at random.

His grin only broadened in the locker rooms as they showered off and talked over the game with Coach McCall. The look on Scott's face... one of pride, was priceless to Jack. If this was what it felt like to be in control, to have a real life, to have purpose, then he never wanted anything else anymore in his life. He'd stay in this moment forever.

Not until his official invite with the guys to the bonfire, did his smile start to waver. He wasn't skilled in socialization at least not upfront but Derek said to be human you have to act it. Subconsciously he checked his hands, looking for signs of discoloration and focusing on temperature control. One of his teammates slapped him on the back and startled him out of his thoughts, Jacks head snapping up to look at the kid as he urged him to walk with them down to the bonfire.

His nerves didn't kick in until he was standing roughly three yards from the fire that was starting to grow. The team had broken apart, most of them finding their girlfriends or the ones who brought booze and beer to the party. His eyes tracked the passing of red cups through a group of teens and he wondered if he could get drunk. It'd never been a reckless action he had considered partaking in. It seemed... in a sense juvenile when he was capable of so much more.

Jack looked back at the fire and he could feel his temperature rising though he hadn't learned to know quite yet when it was him or something more normal so to speak. He took a few steps back and bumped into someone or something. He turned and looked, seeing the same blonde he had made a fool of himself in front of before. "Sorry. My tail lights are out." He said, not missing the odd look she gave him.

The brunette shook his head at himself, "It was supposed to be a joke since I backed into you." He explained, his eyes taking her in again as she stepped to him and touched his arm, bellowing with laughter now and making him arch a brow. He could feel his cheeks burning hot but maybe that was nerves. Still he couldn't be sure.

Jack shrugged and her hand fell from his bicep, allowing him chance to move back again. She asked if he was having a drink or joining the little side games going on. "No I uhh-- This isn't my thing so I should probably go."

Natalie could barely make out Jack’s response over the cacophony of loud dance music, the roaring fire and the chaos of a hundred people yelling and talking at once, but his blush and body language broadcasting his discomfort with this kind of gathering were plain enough without words. 

She smiled at him brightly, leaning back into his space in part to make sure she would be heard and partly to offer him a tempting view down the front of her low cut maxi dress she’d changed into for the evening which he took advantage of even though he blushed even deeper when he saw her notice he’d looked. He winced a bit expecting her to reprimand him, but instead she simply arched one brow and took his hand.

“Why don’t you take a walk with me then? I wouldn’t mind getting away from the crowd for a bit. Besides the music is always too loud at these things.” She prompted, keeping hold of his hand as she stepped back and started leading him away from the fire towards the edge of the gathering.

The farther they got from the press of bodies and roaring fire the more Natalie wished she had more than her cropped denim jacket over her dress, but it wasn’t the first time she’d sacrificed her own comfort to look good and she was sure it wouldn’t be the last. She suppressed the urge to shiver as the wandered away from the school courtyard to the edge of the woods that backed up to the lacrosse field. 

“So, that was a pretty amazing performance tonight. I’m surprised Coach McCall hasn’t made you captain yet. Though I guess you’d have to show up to a few more games for that to happen huh?” She commented with a good natured laugh, keeping her fingers entwined with his as they walked a few yards into the treeline.

"Uh okay yeah." Jack had said, barely managing the words when she took his hand all the sudden. He hadn't had those sort of bold moves put on him especially so it took him even more by surprise.

He followed her obediently to the edge of the trees. His mind was flooding with thoughts of why she'd even wanna talk to him again. He figured they said all they had to say the last time they met. Or maybe she forgot about him and having shooed him off.

The brunette looked down at her as she mentioned how he should be the team captain but then teased about his missing games. "Right well being the new kid I can't really say they'd go for me hopping on as the lead. Even if I had been there they'd probably vote for someone who's grown up here. Seems like everybody knows everybody." He commented, feeling her tug him a bit closer.

Jack cleared his throat, her touch along his arm making him shiver but not from the cool air he knew was surrounding them. He shifted and scratched at his head, looking down her dress as she leaned to him again and once more getting busted. "At least I'm one for one right? Playing on the team is more than I could ask for. I missed the real try outs and all that anyways. It's only fair I guess." He half mumbled, feeling how cold her hands were.

He pulled back a bit and she smiled at him, "Your hands are like ice." He said, taking her hand from his arm and rubbing his over hers until he felt the gentle heat emiting from his palms. "Why are you so curious anyway?" Jack asked, hands running up her forearms to her biceps steadily warming her up until she mentioned his magic hands. He smiled, "I'm just warm blooded is all. Or maybe it's cold blooded because cold doesn't effect me much?"

 

“Oh I’m completely positive there’s nothing cold-blooded about you, Jack.” Natalie answered playfully, humming in genuine bliss as his body heat permeated her chilled flesh and she almost lost her train of thought from how good his warm hands felt on her.

“How could I not be curious? I really saw you for the first time tonight after all. And I liked what I saw.” She responded to his questioning, smiling softly up at him at his confused look, “When we met before, you hardly said two words and I couldn’t get a sense for the kind of guy you were… But tonight, seeing you come into your own on the field like that, how naturally everyone looked up to you and especially seeing what a gracious winner you are... I finally got a glimpse of the real Jack Morrison.” Natalie explained in a low tone, hovering close in his space but not quite leaning against his front.

“Most guys at our school, if they played like you had tonight, they’d be hell to be around, bragging and making everyone kiss their ass. But you’re not like that Jack, and I cannot tell you how refreshing that is. You’re not like any other guy I’ve ever known.” She continued slowly, sliding her hands up his lean muscled chest and draping her arms over his broad shoulders.

She could feel Jack’s heart thudding in his chest against her frame, see in the way his espresso eyes were darkening with want that she was having the exact effect on him that she wanted. And if she was honest with herself she had to admit that while he wasn’t the typical bulky jock type she normally went after, underneath that mop of unruly hair he was handsome; and she still couldn’t get over the way his body heat was turning her muscles that had been tense from cold to butter.

“Do you think I’m pretty Jack?” Natalie asked in a breathy whisper, rolling up on her toes when he barely managed to respond in the affirmative. “Do you like me?” She added, waiting for him to nod then craning her head up so her lips were a whisper from his, “You know you can kiss me… If you want to.” She murmured, carding her nails up his neck into his hair and ever so slightly tugging on his head trying to encourage him to close the tiny bit of distance remaining between them.

Jack had been this close to a girl before a time or two but this was so beyond different for him. His pulse raced and he could feel his cheeks warming further the closer she got to him. He nodded at her questioning, swallowing down something of a growl as she pressed up against him and stood on her toes. "Of course I think you're pretty." He said.

He could hardly begin to understand how this had happened when they'd only just spoke twice. He nodded again and her offering of a kiss had him leaning in and waiting on a single breath. Natalie refused to close the distance between them, twisting his hair in her fingers and occasionally chewing her lip while he stared at her. He could almost sense her impatience growing rapidly and just as she started to drop back on her heels he grabbed either side of her face, lips colliding with hers.

His heart pounder but his focus stayed on her sweet taste, cotton candy lip gloss. He'd never tasted something that made him so... so hungry for more. The way her lips moved on his and her hand cupped the back of his neck, fingers in his hair while his own tugged her close by the small of her back and the curve of her hip.

Jack lost himself in that kiss, following her lead ad ravishing her mouth until they both broke apart panting for breath. His skin was hot, steaming more in places he touched her and he forced himself to ease off. The Sun. The Moon. The Truth. He reminded himself of the chant meant to help him but he couldn't focus his full attention like he needed to. Yet somehow when she spoke his name he pulled through and met her gaze.

She was smiling at him, tugging him to her again and leaning herself up against a large tree at the edge of the woods. "Shouldn't we get back?"

“Yeah, we should. Soon.” She murmured in response, pleasantly surprised by the way his raw unguarded desire for her made her own want flare up in response and even left her feeling a little lightheaded. It had been a long time since she’d had a first kiss that passionate, and while he was clearly unpracticed at this she had a giddy feeling that being with Jack was going to be far more enjoyable than she’d first thought, once she showed him the ropes a bit so to speak.

“Won’t you keep me warm a little longer? Please?” Natalie asked as she tugged him in close against her, guiding his hands to narrow waist encouraging him to hold her fast against the tree she’d leaned against. The stark contrast of the cold trunk at her back and Jack’s heated frame pressed to her front made her shiver and she drew his head down to hers sealing their lips in a searing kiss once more before he had a chance to say anything more.

He was hesitant only a few seconds more, her little mewls against his lips and grasping hands encouraging him to stay close and the blonde found she only had to exaggerate her enjoyment of him a fraction of the amount she’d anticipated needing to in order to make him believe he was driving her wild. The truth was, he was doing a fairly good job of it without even really trying, the simple intensity of his touch and kisses were making her heart pound.

Finally after a few moments more Natalie could tell he was starting to hesitate again, likely getting worried about how much she might let him get away with and not being sure what to do. His hands slid slowly up and down her sides but ventured no further one way or the other, his lack of a sense of entitlement towards her body was refreshing to say the least. She gently broke from him but still kept a firm grip on his shirt, he was so blessedly warm against the cold night air that alone was enough for her to want to keep him close.

“Maybe… Maybe we ought to rejoin the party. I’m sure everyone’s wondering about where we’ve run off to by now.” She spoke around her shallow breathing. “It’ll be fun, you see. I’ll introduce you to my friends, a few of them you know already from the team.” She assured when his face fell a bit at the mention of rejoining the group.

“Come on Jack, don’t make me be the only one of my friends without a handsome lacrosse player to dance with.” She pressed, taking his hand and draping his arm over her shoulders to all but force him to start walking back towards the school with her.

 

Jack put his arm around her shoulders like she prompted him to. He didn't protest once, not that she gave him much chance to anyhow but still. "Martinez and Franco don't have dance partners too you know." He informed her as though that might change her mind. What the hell was wrong with him, he didn't want things to change.

He went with her back to the crowd of people despite his better judgement, letting her pull him into a random group. She asked if he wanted a drink and he shook his head. "No. I should really go." He said, "I have to drive home and I can't... the darker it gets the less I can see really." He tried again but she simply kept smiling aND started swaying in front of him.

"So you were serious about the dancing thing." He muttered, nodding. "Of course you were." Jack followed her lead yet again and ran his hands along her hips, doing his best to stay in step with her and for the first time he smiled genuinely.

They spent a good part of the evening dancing together but as the party drew to a close and everyone was sitting around the fire, Jack had a million questions running in his head. Natalie sat partly in his lap, making it yet again difficult to focus on anything. He kept his hand on her back but he could feel his palm getting hotter and hotter the more she shifted around on him and the longer he kept his eyes casted towards the flames dancing in front of them.

She fanned herself and nudged his arm away, leaning in to surprise him with a kiss and he grunted lowly. It was only then did he realize how few people were left and that as soon as his eyes broke away the fire dimmed down to mere embers. He wondered if she noticed.

Jack got up when she did and without even offering or being asked he started towards the parking lot, taking her to her car. She asked where he'd parked and he realized he was caught in a lie. "Down the street. I like walking? Actually I don't have a car. I run to school and home. Coach said its good for me anyways."

Natalie laughed and shook her head at him, standing on her toes to kiss his cheek before saying good night. "I'll see you tomorrow then?" He asked uncertainly, getting no direct answer as the blonde climbed into her brand new sports car.

It didn’t surprise Natalie much to find out Jack didn’t actually have a vehicle of his own, though it did make her wonder a bit at his making up reasons not to drink at the party. She never drank at parties because she counted every calorie she took in so carefully and saved any drinking she cared to do for a glass or two of one of her parents’ fine wines at home, but she didn’t know many teenage boys who would pass up the chance for free booze. Though when she really thought about it, none of the kids from Hale House drank that she ever saw. Maybe their foster parents maintained a zero tolerance policy that wasn’t worth compromising.

“Well tomorrow of course, but I unlocked all the doors for a reason. Get in, I’ll take you home.” Natalie half offered, half directed, tossing her head at the empty passenger seat beside her and sighing at him when he hesitated. 

“Jack, come on. How many kids do you think are leaving this party drunk? I’d rather not see a story in the news tomorrow about you getting creamed on the side of the road by a young driver under the influence.” Finally he agreed and circled around her shiny red corvette and climbed in, fumbling a bit with his seatbelt and she noticed with some amusement that once he joined her in the car her windows started to fog up.

“Wow, you really do have a high core temp don’t you? I bet your metabolism is off the charts.” Natalie quipped absently, waiting for him to get buckled in and unrolling the windows for him despite his protests that she’d be cold. “Don’t worry, heated seats.” She countered with a grin, turning on her seat warmers full blast as well as the radio.

“What kind of music do you like?” She asked sweetly, prepared to change it to whatever he preferred but he surprised her by admitting he didn’t listen to much music so she could keep it on whatever station she liked. “So you don’t go to parties, don’t drink, don’t listen to music, is the Hale House some kind of Amish paradise or prison or something?” The blonde asked with a light laugh, hoping to get him to open up to her a bit.

Jack tapped his fingers on his legs just above his knees, trying to get comfortable but really that was hard with her. He explained he didn't listen to much music but that was more by choice than anything else. When she mentioned his homestead and asked about if it was some kind of Amish living community or something he stared over at her.

"How'd you know I was from Hale House?" He mumbled, curious to know if word got around, if it was announced or if she was guessing. She shook her head and said she had ways of knowing things but he wasn't really settled by that. He laughed timidly, rubbing his jaw with his thumb and index finger. "Yeah. It's funny... they said the same thing."

Natalie raised a brow and asked what he meant, making him shake his head. "Never mind. Nothing." He said, looking out the window and putting it down further to keep from heating her car any further. "It's like a sanctuary you want no part of." He told her finally, pointing. "Pull off here."

She seemed to sense she had hit a nerve a bit as he began wondering what else people said about him. She pulled off and laughed at the sight of the full fledged farm the Hale family had created for their adoptees. Jack hung his head, "Look it's not funny okay? I don't wanna fuckin be here." He groaned, getting out of his seat and opening the door but she grabbed his hand and muttered his name. "What?"

Nat smiled and leaned forward to bite his lip, distracting his anger for the moment and making him refocus.

“Jack, hold on-” Natalie pleaded and gripped his wrist before he could rush out of her car, leaning in and quickly sealing her mouth to his in a heated, biting kiss. It was the fastest way she knew of to regain the ground she’d lost by accidentally striking a nerve with him about his foster home.

After a moment they broke apart and she was relieved to see he was entirely distracted from his upset. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean for that to come out like it did. I’ve never been this close to Hale House before, and honestly, it looks... Amazing.” She apologized in a soft tone, craning her head around his for a moment to get a better view of the sprawling two story country home. 

The huge ranch was complete with expansive farm and pasture land backed up to the surrounding woods, and a barn and separate garage each nearly as big as the house. It was all neatly fenced in with white pickets, everything in immaculate repair. 

Even in the dark of night she could tell what a beautiful place it was, and judging from her own less than rosy history with the foster system, this place was practically heaven on earth.

“I knew you lived here because the Principal always tells the student council when we get a new kid who comes from Hale House. Supposed to keep an eye on them, be extra friendly. I dunno, seems like it would be better not to get special treatment at school, it’s already hard enough to try and fit in. Better to have one place in your life where you can just be a normal kid right?” She spoke from her personal opinion, not that she’d ever let anyone know that her words were more than mere speculation.

Jack stared at her in a bit of confusion, laughing at little at her answer. "Why is it important for them to know. If we want to be normal then they shouldnt voice that at all. That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard." He scoffed, shaking his head at this whole school system thing.

"Singling us out really doesn't help." He muttered, seeing the look on her face as she listened to him. He rubbed his eyes, "Sorry. I've just never had a place to just... like fit in a while. It gets so old."

Nat nodded and put her hand on his leg, asking more about his being there. "I know why I'm here. But how? I don't know a thing about my family. Except I think I'm just like my mom. I remember more about her yknow?" He responded, fiddling with his fingers. "I'm a few months away from being too old for this place. But now the title of Hale House Foster Kid is forever stamped on my forehead... branded on my ass, whatever."

Natalie’s eyes briefly flickered to the silver charm bracelet adorning her right wrist when Jack mentioned his mother, her heart beating a bit faster. She never took it off, it was the only piece of her mother she had. A keepsake not from the woman everyone at school thought was her mom, but from her real mother who had died giving birth to her or so her father had told her in one of his brief moments of sobriety.

She mentally shook herself back to the here and now, nodding slightly at his mention of being branded by the place at his back. The petite blonde shrugged one shoulder, continuing to lightly caress his thigh as she spoke, “I dunno, there are a lot worse things to be branded with I’d say.” Natalie smiled warmly, words like ‘runaway,’ ‘prostitute’ and ‘slave’ springing to her mind automatically despite her best efforts to keep her dark memories at bay. 

“Besides, keep playing lacrosse like you did tonight and nobody at school will spend more than a second thinking about where you come from, they’ll be too busy thinking you’re the most amazing player our school’s seen in years. Everybody’s gonna want to be your friend Jack whether you live at Hale House or the zoo.” She continued, laughing lightly at Jack’s comment that sometimes the two places felt like one and same.

She held his gaze a moment, smirking to herself when he quickly became uncomfortable under her scrutiny, fumbling over his words before finally just using the old ‘it’s getting late I should go’ excuse. Natalie sighed and leaned in to kiss him one last time, her heart fluttering a bit faster at his low groan and she resisted the urge to drag him into the backseat with her. She couldn’t push him too hard, she was liable to scare him off if she moved too fast and she needed to keep the new star of the school firmly in her grasp.

“Good night Jack. I’ll see you tomorrow.” The young blonde breathed when their lips parted, settling back into her seat and waving at Jack after he climbed out of her car before driving off, a self-satisfied smirk plastered across her face. Not only did she have him hook line and sinker, she was actually going to enjoy being with her newest conquest for a change rather than just enduring him for the benefits he brought her socially.

Bianca required only the tiniest amount of rest every few days and it was a good thing too with how she and Derek had decided to spend the rest of their long days together. She could get a multitude of tasks done while the children and her husband slept, and it was certainly more peaceful.

The vampire had mastered the art of lunch packing. Over the years she’d gotten it down to a science, adopting an assembly line style and keeping careful record of which child liked what or was allergic to so she could make modifications when needed. It was necessary since at any given time she might have upwards of 20 lunches to pack for children of varying ages. 

She was writing the last of her little ‘love notes’ as the kids referred to them, placing them in each lunch box and carefully storing them in the huge stainless steel fridge when Jack finally came inside. Her sharp otherworldly senses had alerted her to the car pulling up to their property quite awhile ago, but he’d spent a long while out on the porch.

“Good evening dove, did you have fun at the party? I’m so sorry I couldn’t make it for your first game, but Marci had her ballet recital you know. She was just a vision… Right up until her stage fright got the better of her and she ran backstage for the rest of the show. She still loved it though.” The centuries old predator laughed with fond amusement at her youngest charge they were raising at the moment. 

Bianca met the gaze of one of their newer additions, trying to get a read on him as he came into the kitchen and seated himself at one of the stools along the wide island in the center of the space. “Let me fix you something cool to drink, hmm?” She offered, already moving around the kitchen to do so before he could say yes or no. They had found that some herbal teas helped calm Jack’s more fiery side, and serving them iced gave the added benefit of giving the boy something cold to bring down his perpetually high temperature.

Jack knew Bia had likely heard him arrive long ago but he also knew she wasn't the type to pry necessarily so much as... coax. If one of them didn't want to talk and she knew it truly, she'd let it go and wait until you realized just how bad you needed to tell her. She was sort of good at that or maybe it was her power of manipulation she had gained over the years. Or perhaps it was just Jack she could do that to.

He plopped down onto one of the stools and hung his head, brow furrowed in thought and while he knew of her presence he didn't acknowledge her question. "Do you think it's wrong of me to be with a human girl?" He asked simply, looking up when she started making his drink. He hadn't realized he was still flushed from before and the cold outside made his ears give off steam.

Bianca smiled and made note of him dating, he could see iit in her eyes how curious she was. "I'm not sure what we are at the moment. She sort of appeared out of no where. At least that's what it feels like. You and Derek say to focus on school and getting by and moving out when I'm ready." He said, his eyes darting around the space as he thought about the answers himself. "We kissed and I warmed her tonight. I know I'm not supposed to but she was freezing so I held her hands in mine." He murmured.

Jack paused for a long moment, his brow crinkling. "It felt really good..."

Bianca smiled softly at her foster son’s words, especially at the way his voice trailed off and his face gave everything away as he relived the moment he’d described with the girl in his mind. The vampire shook her head and pushed his glass across the counter towards him, watching him take a long drink of the icy beverage before responding further.

“There’s absolutely nothing wrong with you courting anyone, human or not, so long as you each do right by each other. You’ve every right to that kind of happiness, Jack. It’s true, you can’t neglect your studies or your goals of finding an honest wage and being able to support yourself, but this…” The vampire leaned over the island to gently place her hand over his, her cool alabaster skin soothing on his overheated flesh.

“This is the kind of thing that makes life worth living my dove. Falling in and out of love, forging bonds of friendship and sometimes more. You’ve got to go after what you want and not let fear hold you back.” She advised with a kind smile.

“I won’t tell you it was wrong of you to use your power to warm her up, but… Just be very careful. Any woman you choose to let into your heartshould know everything about you and your gifts, but it’s not the sort of thing you should disclose lightly, or let get out of hand before you know if you can trust her. And until you’ve mastered your powers, keep in mind that less is more, hmm?” She added with a note of warning in her sing-song voice, reaching up to ruffle the boy’s messy brunette hair fondly.

“So, now that I’ve said all that obligatory boring mom stuff, tell me: What’s her name? Is she smart? Is she nice? Is she pretty?” The vampire asked excitedly, quirking her delicate brows comically at her foster son when she asked about the girl’s looks.

Jack sighed as she spoke, wanting to roll his eyes and brush off what she said but he knew she was right. He had to be careful about using his powers in front of or around anyone when he didn't have full control over it.

He could see Bia starting to smile in understanding, ruffling his hair and making him grin a bit. "I know. You're right." He muttered his agreement, nodding to her. He shifted at her questioning, groaning at her words. "Bia." He mumbled, making her smile widen.

She poked at him and looped her arm around him as she took the seat by him. Jack was only comfortable with her doing things like this, getting close to him and maybe in part that was because she was cooler temperature than anyone else. She repeated a few of her questions and he laughed, "Her name is Natalie Rushman. She seems... I'm not sure how smart she is or isn't. I've only seen her twice really." He shrugged.

Bia arched a brow and nodded as she took everything in. "She caught me on the field and then I ran into her tonight. She's-- she's the most beautiful girl I've ever seen." He trailed off, thinking about her and wondering what she might be up to. "She's a cheerleader and she seems really sweet. She thinks I could be captain of the lacrosse team. We danced. I can't believe I freaking danced."

 

Just as Natalie predicted, the whole school was abuzz with talk of the hero of the previous night’s lacrosse game, and when she spied Jack walking in she couldn’t help but smile satisfactorily as she watched nearly every student he passed praise or at least greet him in some fashion.

The petite girl cut a swath through the crowded hallway with her mere presence, making a beeline for the tall lean brunette and giving him her sweetest smile the moment his eyes landed on her. She kept her focus on Jack but in her peripheral vision she didn’t miss the half dozen or so girls shrinking away from where they hovered around him when she drew near.

That’s right you scavenging ladder climbers, he’s mine and you’d better respect that. The blonde thought to herself as she stepped right into Jack’s space and rolled up onto her tip toes to kiss his cheek in greeting, erasing any shadow of doubt from her would-be rival’s minds that they had a chance with him. It was well known among the girls of the school that once Natalie Rushman claimed a guy, he was strictly off limits.

“Good morning, Jack. No coat again I see?” Natalie said playfully, eyeing him up and down in his ripped jeans and plain green t-shirt despite the cold morning. Before he could say much in response several of her friends came up to stand around them, adding their own two cents about how good they thought Jack had been in the game and one insisting that he eat lunch with them that day.

“Yes, please you have to eat with us. It’d be a good way to see each other since we don’t have any classes together… What do you say?” Natalie asked brightly.

Jack really wasn't used to attention not even from one person at a time let alone dozens addressing him in the hall as soon as he stepped inside. Not to mention those in the yard that had congratulated him on his way in. So apparently lacrosse was a huge deal here. Maybe he chose the wrong sport to involve himself in if he was meant to keep focus on classes and his practice of keeping control. The games might distract him... the attention might screw him over.

He was heading straight to his locker, wanting to grab his things for his first class when he felt her beside him her lips on his cheek. He'd hardly noticed the others at least not rght now. His eyes went down to Natalie beside him and his face was straight, "Good morning. I believe I might be going into hibernation soon. The cold is having no effect on me." He said.

Nat laughed at half glared at her friends inviting him to lunch today. Jack nodded, "I usually go out on the field then." He said, shrugging as one asked if he didn't eat. "I guess I forget to a lot." He answered, not understanding the looks they gave him for doing so.

He made the promise that he'd be there for lunch and accepted when Nat offered for him to walk her to class. It was his privilege after all... or something like that. He dropped her at her first class of the day then went to his.

When lunch came Jack picked her up at her classroom like she told him to and again he didn't mind. He went with her to her usual table and sat down with the group of girls, noting the few lacrosse players hovering by the table as well.

Jack unpacked his lunch and the last thing he pulled out was a brownie Bia had made. He looked into the bag again, brow furrowing until Nat asked him if he was looking for something. She held up a little yellow sticky note and he stared at her for a long while before taking it from her and quickly shoving it in his backpack with all the others. "Just some list." He lied, hoping she didn't see it.

Natalie was pleased by the reception Jack received from her group as they all got seated at their habitual table. The head cheerleader and her group had an unspoken right to what was considered the ‘best’ tables in the courtyard, and she didn’t miss the way most of the students who went by took note of Jack’s newly won seat with them.

Several members of the lacrosse team were also a part of her clique, though they came and went much faster than the girls depending on how well they played. At least Jack would have some friends to talk shop with. She watched the tall boy unpacking his lunch, curious about what someone from Hale house got to eat. 

She was pleasantly surprised by the quality of his food. Apparently the rumors about the Hales being rich were true if they could afford such nice ingredients in a couple dozen daily packed lunches. Though she had to wonder if they could afford such things why they didn’t just have their kids buy hot lunches. Maybe they were strict ‘all organic food’ nuts or something, either way it intrigued her.

She noticed a little yellow sticky note fall off the side of Jack’s packed bottle of green tea, her delicate brow furrowing slightly with interest but she didn’t make a move to pick it up until Jack started looking through his lunch items wearing a befuddled expression. She guessed the note had to be what he was looking for. “Looking for this?” She asked sweetly, trying to read it without being too obvious but he snatched it from her before she could make anything out.

The blonde nodded at his clipped response, not pressing the matter despite her curiosity since it was fairly obvious he didn’t want to elaborate. The lunch hour passed in fairly typical fashion, the boys engaging Jack in conversation about last night’s game while the girls for the most part swapped gossip and discussed plans for Natalie’s birthday party at the end of the month.

By the time lunch was over Natalie felt like Jack had been given a fairly warm welcome, but she was already making out a to do list in her head of things to make her new addition fit in better with her group and by extension make him a bigger icon at their school.

“So Jack, would you… Maybe want to study together last period? I usually spend my free period getting in extra cheer practice but I could come to your study hall instead.” Natalie asked with a coy smile as he walked her to her next class, glancing up at him through her long lashes.

He followed to her next class, smiling lightly when she leaned closer to him. He wondered if she would forever remember him as the guy with a high temperature. She would be right to consider that fact always.

Jacks eyes went to hers, managing to walk straight despite his attention being on her instead of where he was going. He laughed a little at her claiming to need to study. "I'm certain I heard you were one of the tops of our class." He said lightly, but she gave him a look, pleading for him to understand and he did. "Oh. Well yeah that's fine. I could probably use your help. I'm supposed to maintain 'A's and 'B's."

When his last period came around he found her already waiting for him in study hall. The space was mostly empty and she was alone at a long table. He snuck up on her, taking the seat next to her and making her jump and swat at him for having startled her. Jack laughed, "I'm sorry. I was trying to be quiet because I thought... maybe we could sneak out of here instead?" He suggested. "It's just one period and it doesn't even matter. There's a place just outside of campus... little creek and lots of trees. I like to go there to focus." He smiled. "Plus... there's a tree wide enough I can toss the ball against without fear of missing." He chuckled lightly.

Natalie arched her blonde brows at the boy seated next to her and giggled lightly, “Well as interesting as wide trees sound,” She began in a low voice, scooting her chair over as close to his as possible, “It’s kind of cold out today for us non-hibernators.” She countered, pushing her books and open notebook over closer so she could reach them still.

“Besides, I don’t want to risk my perfect record of no skipped classes.” She added, grinning when Jack’s features fell somewhat as he agreed to staying in study hall and opened his own textbook. The blonde resumed copying down notes she needed for her history test coming up with one hand, but slid the other under the table and over onto Jack’s muscled thigh.

“But just because I don’t skip class, doesn’t mean I don’t know how to have fun.” She murmured under her breath as she began slowly rubbing his leg, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye and grinning when he jumped a bit at the contact. 

Jack stayed perfectly still as she caressed him, his head bent down towards his open book but his brown eyes were fixed on his lap beneath the table, his breathing getting a little more rapid from either apprehension or anticipation, perhaps a bit of both.

“I don’t like to do bad things if I might get caught.” Natalie whispered as her hand traveled further up Jack’s leg, “But I love doing bad things I know I can get away with.” She purred as her palm slid over the growing bulge in his jeans, all the while still copying down her notes like nothing was going on with her other hand, enjoying the satisfying rush she always got from taking control and doing things like this in public places.

Jack was disappointed at first when she wouldn't run off with him. He had hoped for a little more privacy, time to know her and spend time just the two of them but she had a name to keep and a record to uphold. He tried to understand but really he didn't when you could learn on your own time what was the need for show or formality?

He ssettled beside her with his things out in front of him, trying to focus on his books until she spoke against his ear. Her hand roaming his thigh and making his breathing pick up. "Natalie." He whispered, shifting in his seat and reaching for her wrist but her hand moved further up to palm at his groin.

Jack growled, heat rising under his skin. He gripped at the side of his chair, fingers digging into the wood and if he wasn't careful the burn he felt would start a fire right under his leg and ass. His voice got deeper as he looked at her, eyes turning a shade of amber gold with red flecks. She was studying her book too much to notice until he said her name.

Natalie smirked and reached into his jeans. He snatched her wrist, warmth flooding his whole body. "Easy." He warned her.

 

Natalie grinned like a satisfied feline at Jack’s husky-toned admonishment, feeling his arousal and hearing in his voice and rough breathing how much she was effecting him even without looking directly at him.

“What’s the matter Jack? Don’t have much of a poker face?” She asked teasingly, glancing up at his flushed face hidden partially by his messy brunette curls and seeing his eyes were heavily hooded with pleasure.

“No you really don’t, do you? Well that’s all right. As long as you can keep quiet anyway. You gotta relax a bit though…” Natalie cooed softly, tugging a bit at his tight grip on her wrist, stroking his length through his boxers as best she could despite the restriction. “You didn’t think I asked you here to do any actual studying did you?” The blonde asked with a soft giggle, his demeanor making it clear he hadn’t expected anything like this to happen. 

“You’re so cute Jack. Trust me, when a girl asks you to study with her, the last thing she wants you to hit is the books.” She purred, leaning into him and nibbling at his ear, her own heart skipping a beat at the way he barely managed to suppress a deep groan.

“I like you a lot Jack, I thought I made that pretty obvious last night.” She breathed against his ear, her hand moving a bit more freely up and down his rapidly hardening length as his grip on her faltered the more aroused he became. 

Jack tried to simply shake his head at her when she asked if he considered the other options they might do here. When she mentioned the fact that she hadn't asked him here to study. He had no idea she brought him here to get a hold of him and he certainly wasn't lasting.

"Natalie." He growled again, his hips rocking slightly into her touch now. His head lulled to the side to see her face but he only caught sight of one of her eyes as his brow pressed to hers. "Fuck..." He panted, his grip slipping from around her wrist as his palms got sweaty. His body heat rose and his whole frame was slick with a sheen of sweat.

Jack put his hand over her thigh and gave a firm squeeze, the urge to yank her in his lap driving him wild. He shoved back instead, tugging his pants right on his hips again. His chest heaved, grabbing his book from the table and shaking his head. "I can't... can't do this here."

 

Natalie was a bit surprised by how much she was enjoying his reaction to her advance, her own breathing quickening as she saw his flush and the slight sheen of perspiration adorning his face and neck. He must really have a higher than typical body temperature like he said if he was getting so overheated from his arousal. Though perhaps being in public like this caused his nerves on top of his excitement to drive him to break out in a sweat.

She could tell he was starting to get closer to the edge by the way his grip tightened on her thigh, but rather than letting her finish him off he surprised her by jolting back. Jack gently jostled her hand free from his pants, fastening them up with some difficulty considering the fairly impressive bulge he was now left with.

He insisted that he couldn’t continue this activity here, though everything about his body language told Natalie that the opposite of his words was true. Jack was wound tightly enough to snap and she could see in his face how badly he wanted her, just the look of lust in his eyes made them seem on fire somehow. 

It was like his gaze was burning into her, making her own body ache though she told herself she was just imagining it. It had been awhile since she’d been with anyone who really excited her so she was probably getting more riled up than she would have otherwise under his intense look. 

Natalie found her voice through the haze of want and confusion she felt, “Okay, that’s all right. I’m sorry Jack, I thought… I thought it’d be fun. But it’s all right if you’re not comfortable with fooling around in here.” She whispered, smiling and standing in front of him and gently guiding his hands holding his textbook so it covered the straining bulge in his jeans.

“You might wanna keep that there for a bit.” She advised with a little giggle, relieved when he smiled back at her rather than getting angry with her for winding him up and not finishing him off, though he had been the one to halt her progress.

“Maybe after school we could get together and do some real studying... Someplace a bit more private if you like. You could come over to my house.” She suggested with a coy grin, stepping back half a pace from him and letting her fingertips skid along the warm skin of his forearm before letting her hand drop at her side.

Jack shivered a little at her fingers gliding along his arm, absently he wondered if she could feel just how sweaty he was. Or perhaps that was in his head and had cleared up a bit by now. He let out a slow breath, nodding lazily at her offer. He wasn’t entirely positive at this point that he could manage control but maybe the whole environment made it harder for him to focus especially considering he wasn’t yet prepared for her putting the moves on him like that.

He kept his book down in front of him like she told him to, knowing full well he’d have to make a run to the locker room or home… or take a freaking ice bath with the heat fuming off his body and his desire white hot for her by now. “I’ll meet you by your car then. Are you sure it’s okay if I even—“ He started, getting cut off by her laughing and telling him they’d be alone and not to worry himself much, they could ‘study’ as loud as they wanted. “Right. Yeah.” He mumbled. Natalie gave him a little wave of her fingers and he steadily backed out of the room before anyone could notice his absence, except for Nat of course.

Jack kept his promise and waited out by her car, more than a little embarrassed by the fact that one he had gotten worked up so easily and two he had run out on her, fully hard with a face bright red and covered in sweat. He was surprised she wanted him to come hang out again at all. He jogged over to her when she started towards the driver’s door, “Nat.” He huffed through the cold air burning his lungs but it also felt blissfully sweet to someone like him. “Hey listen I’m sorry that I just—cut out like that. I was caught off guard and I haven’t—“ He paused, clearing his throat, “I haven’t been with anyone before so I guess I didn’t think I’d be able to keep quiet for one.” He stammered, making her laugh again which only made him feel like an idiot all over again.

She reached for him and tugged him down for a slow deep kiss, saying nothing in regards to his apology but ordering him when they broke apart, for him to get in the car. He grinned, letting out another sigh of relief, nodding and rushing to the other side of the car, hoping in and soon enough she had him at her place.

He carried his bag up to her room, following obediently behind her and stopping at the threshold even as she tugged his hand. “Bia says it’s rude to enter someone’s space without an official invite. I just wanna make sure you really mean that invite.” He laughed lightly, letting her pull him in by the front of his shirt. Jack followed and smiled at her, dropping his bag down and following her to her bed, groaning as she came at him with another surprise attack, her hands on his chest, making him drop back into her bed. “Natalie—Sweetheart, maybe we oughta do some studying for real first then do some… ‘studying’?”

 

Natalie let herself land softly atop Jack in a controlled tumble as she followed him down onto her bed, giggling and leaning in to kiss him when he interrupted her advance by hesitantly questioning her about studying. The blonde grinned and sighed down at him, letting her cheek rest on her hand with her elbow propped on his chest as if he were her own personal heated chaise lounge.

“You really are new at this aren’t you?” She asked with an adoring smile, no trace of mockery in her tone. The girl honestly found it cute that he seemed so genuinely surprised by her behavior. He seemed so unwilling to take what she was freely offering him, unlike every other guy she’d ever been with who took every inch she gave and then some as if they were entitled to her body somehow.

The cheerleader could tell by his labored breath and dilating pupils that Jack wanted her, but she could also see that he was more than a little bewildered so she decided to give him some slack. If it turned out she didn’t have to win his devotion to her by immediately sleeping with him like most guys she’d known, all the better in her mind. Though she had to admit that just laying sprawled on top of him like this was making her own heart race.

“Alright have it your way mister honor student. I do need to finish up my French assignment.” Natalie conceded, rolling slowly off of him and sighing as she reached over the side of her bed to haul her bag up and pull her textbook from it. Jack lay panting on his back a moment or two more, likely collecting himself after her pouncing on him and she politely ignored it though a pleased little smirk adorned her rosepetal lips.

“Why don’t you get out what you brought to work on and I’ll go and get us something to snack on hmm? Fruit and yogurt dip sound okay?” The blonde suggested, getting up off the bed and exiting her room before he had a chance to answer her either way.

Jack looked her over when she asked about him being new to this whole thing. He really was, if he was being honest but he didn’t think he was that easy to read… that it was so simple for her to tell. He gave a small shrug, “Well I’ve studied before but never quite the way you do.” He teased a little, his expression never changing though heat rose in his cheeks.

He sat up when she started to get off him and up from the mattress. He reached for his own bag, pulling out his books and while he didn’t see much point in studying when he could be doing much better things with his time, such as working on his ability to control his powers. He snapped his fingers and ignited the tiniest flame while she was away, taking his mind off the way Natalie had made him feel… excited.

The brunet blew on his index finger and the flame vanished as quickly as it had come. He let out a low sigh, taking a moment to look around her room. It almost felt… unlived in, so nicely decorated and so freshly cleaned he felt like it might be a hotel they’d walked into rather than a teenage girls’ room. Then again, he hadn’t really been in many girls rooms, not even those of his ‘sisters’ at the Hale House. Maybe they all looked this way, frilly and pink, just like those lingerie catalogs Bia always got.

His gaze flickered from the dresser that housed a couple picture frames, one with Natalie and what had to have been her parents and another with her and a few of the cheerleaders she’d befriended over the years. There was something about the way she smiled in the images verses how she looked at him sometimes, like just tonight when she found amusement in his lack of knowledge on the whole dating ordeal. Jack rolled closer to the edge of her bed to reach out for one of the other images on her nightstand but as he bumped her pillow a book came tumbling out of the case.

His brow furrowed as he picked it up, just as girly as anything else in this room. He opened it to the first page and found baby pictures, making him grin a bit at the looks on her face. She was precious even then, he thought as he flipped to the next few images, pausing on one in particular. Natalie stood stiff with another older gentleman, hardly smiling and the next image was of the same man with a stunning blonde woman.

Jack was about to flip the page when her voice startled him. She nearly threw down the yogurt and fruit she carried in on a tray. He jolted and slapped it closed, letting her snatch it away from him without a fight. “Sorry. I’m sorry. I wasn’t snooping.” He defended quickly, grabbing the tray to steady it on the edge of the bed, pushing it up closer to where he’d been sitting. “It fell out of your pillow or from under it.” He muttered.

 

“What are you doing with that?” Natalie all but screeched, her insides clenching up with fear as she saw Jack with her diary open in his hands. She always kept it tucked in her pillow case, not the most secret of hiding places but then again she never imagined that he might snoop through her things if she left him alone in her room for a few minutes.

He jolted hard at the sound of her voice, and she barely had the presence of mind to set the tray of food down without spilling it in her haste to get the little pink bound book away from him. Jack surrendered it immediately, stammering out an apology and something about it falling from it’s hiding place but she was so caught up in her alarm that he might’ve gotten a good look at the book’s contents that she hardly registered what he was saying.

Natalie flipped through the first few pages urgently, making a mental tally of all the old pictures, notes and things contained in her most private possession to reassure herself that he hadn’t taken anything out of it though that was no guarantee that he hadn’t seen all her secrets that she’d spent years carefully protecting.

“What did you see? Tell me what you looked at! Did you read any of it? Tell me the truth Jack!” Natalie demanded, her voice shrill and breaking with panic and emotion. The blonde was nearly in tears, feeling like an idiot for just trusting this guy not to go looking through her things. Maybe it was true that he hadn’t actually found it on purpose, but he’d still opened it when it fell into sight as he claimed. 

She stared at him with watery eyes waiting for a response, feeling like she might get sick imagining what he might’ve seen. All her past, her secrets were in her journal, no one else had ever looked at it, not her parents, counselors, therapists… Everything she’d worked so hard to build might all be crashing down around her and it turned her insides to ice.

Jack was a little shocked by the blunt way she reacted to him finding that book of hers. Perhaps he shouldn’t have opened it but he really wasn’t thinking at the time that it might be something person, he was curious about her, about truly getting to know her. Really… he didn’t deserve that though did he? When he was keeping his own secrets from her.

“I—“ He started, stumbling over his words as she snatched the book back and kept demanding to know what he had seen and read. He reached out, putting his hand on her hip very carefully and shaking his head. “Natalie I swear to you I didn’t read a thing.” He murmured, his heart racing as she started to cry. “Please trust me?” He pleaded, tugging her a little closer despite her resistance.

The brunet held her waist with one hand and cupped the side of her face with the other, shaking his head more insistently. “All I saw… were just a couple old pictures. I didn’t think anything of it being an invasion of your privacy. I apologize. It just fell out and I looked at for maybe two minutes before you came in.”

She stared at him, asking what exactly he saw and read. “I told you I didn’t read anything. Just saw a few pictures. I-I don’t understand—“ Jack mumbled, breathing heavily. “I just assumed it was family. Like aunts or uncles… cousins? And all I was thinking was that you’re the cutest little toe head kid.” He laughed, trying to lighten the mood.

 

Natalie willed the panic erupting in her chest to subside, taking a few even if shaky breaths as she looked hard into Jack’s eyes filled with confusion and concern. Everything about his body language, his tone and expression seemed sincere. She desperately want to believe he was telling her the truth, but the blonde had learned a long time ago to only appear to trust others, not actually do it.

Her pout did quirk up a bit at the corner at his mention of her being a cute toe head. She stared at him a moment more, weighing if she should decide to believe his story and how much danger it put her in if he really had seen and read things about her past that were… Less than rosy. 

She hadn’t put everything down on paper of course, keeping the worst of what had been done to her locked away in her heart, not even her adoptive parents knew all the things her biological father and a few strangers from her time on the run had done. But there was still enough in that little diary to ruin her ten times over at school. Like the simple fact that her parents did adopt her for one. She’d made them promise not to tell anyone, not wanting to be associated any more with her blood relatives, and they’d agreed, but the truth was there, on one of the first pages as a matter of fact.

The blonde slowly slid the book back under her pillows for the time being, her gaze never leaving Jack’s. “Okay. I believe you Jack. But… But even if you just accidentally saw anything, just… Just swear you’ll keep it to yourself, all right?” Natalie asked, trying to bring her voice back to a sweeter tone since she knew she wouldn’t get anywhere trying to threaten him if he spread dirt on her. 

Best to stick with what she did best… Win over his favor, get him totally loyal to her, then if he ever gave her any reason to doubt him, crush him emotionally and socially like a bug so anything he might tell anyone would have zero credibility. It was the only way she could be sure to protect herself. 

Natalie Rushman refused to ever be looked down on by anyone ever again. She’d worked too hard to be free of her miserable former life, to convince the people around her that she wasn’t the worthless trash she knew deep down she’d always be. Anything that threatened her carefully crafted mask had to be dealt with, harshly.

“I’m sorry I got so upset. But a girl’s gotta have her secrets, right? You might’ve seen my craziest fantasy or something.” Natalie continued, slipping more securely back into her comfort zone and working on distracting Jack from the whole issue. The blonde leaned into his space making her mattress creak softly with the movement, smiling and bringing her lips a breath from his, “Now. Maybe we should put our heads together and… Study?” She murmured, her heart still racing a bit from her earlier distress but outwardly she was back to being all sultry confidence as usual.

“It’s fine really. I mean I get havin’ things that you want to keep to yourself.” Jack agreed, offering her a bit of a smile though he still felt he might be pinned under the knife so to speak. He licked his lips at her mention of her fantasies, his mind suddenly rushing to all of what he might have found in there. Maybe she had already listed this about him she wanted or something but she didn’t seem like the type who would shy away from blatantly sharing her ideas.

He shifted back the more she inched forward and half over him on the mattress, his cheeks burning red hot all over again and this time it wasn’t out of embarrassment at all. “Your kind of study or are we really going to study because there’s one of those options that I’m—less—comfortable…” He groaned, feeling her lips clash against his own and her hand run up along his chest from his abdomen. “With.” He finished when they broke apart to breathe.

He felt her chest press up against his, her legs starting to settle on his sides but he couldn’t quite let her. Jack’s hand pushed at her thigh to keep her from climbing on him at least until he had a moment. The skin around his lips felt sunburned the slowly his cheeks and neck and he forced himself to break from her as she asked which option that was.

“Natalie I really like you but I really fear I’ll disappoint. I don’t think I’m the guy you should go for at all.” He breathed, his hands curled into her covers beneath him though the back of his mind he kept wondering how long it would take before he set them ablaze. Maybe it was all in his head, that fear, but he had never been with someone to know just how well he could handle himself.

Natalie pouted slightly at Jack’s gentle deflection of her advance, sighing as she allowed her weight to rest on her bed rather than trying again to climb back atop him. She wasn’t at all accustomed to being rebuffed like this, but she found herself unsure if she was more offended or relieved by it. 

As much as she wanted to get him wrapped around her finger by the most tried and true method when dealing with teenage boys possible, it was actually really nice to finally encounter a guy that didn’t seem to feel entitled to her body.

“Well I’m pretty sure I can judge for myself which guys I should and shouldn’t go after.” Natalie responded to him, trailing her fingertip in a straight line up from Jack’s belly button between his pecs and to the little indent between his collar bones as she spoke. She smirked slightly at the way he reacted to even that light touch from her, it was obvious the problem wasn’t his attraction to her, but yet something was holding him back and she couldn’t figure out what that might be.

“Listen, Jack… If you’re uncomfortable with being physical with me, you can just tell me it’s all right.” Natalie ventured, still tracing idle patterns over his torso. “I don’t mind taking it slow. I just… Wanted to show you how much I like you.” She continued, her voice full of innocence and a bit of false contrition. “Beacuse I think you’re exactly the kind of guy I should go for.” She added with a warm smile.

The blonde sat up and sighed, deciding to give him just a little bit of insight into her so that maybe she could get him to open up to her in turn. The more she learned about him, the better she’d be able to make sure and keep him devoted to her in case he really had seen something bad in her diary.

“I guess I’m not used to being treated so nice by a guy. Like I don’t have to give everything up to him in the first five minutes just to keep him around, you know? So I’m sorry if I moved too fast. I hope that’s the problem anyway, maybe you’re just too nice to come right out and tell me you’re not interested.” She said softly, fidgeting with her perfectly manicured nails as she talked, surprised at the real lump of sadness forming in her throat. 

She knew very well how to manipulate men into giving her what she wanted with body language, words and even false tears, but in this case every word of that was actually true, and it stung her more than she cared to admit.

Jack was relieved but also felt guilty for Natalie leaving his lap now and denying her what she so clearly wanted out of him. He sighed softly as she spoke, wanting now to tell her the truth about himself and the reason that he had to take it slow more than it being that he didn’t want her. God he wanted her but he knew better than that for now at least until he found a mantra or something else that could fully help him contain his abilities even if only for a couple hours to be with someone like her.

“I understand.” He said even if he really didn’t, at least not completely. “I’m sorry for being too much of a nice guy at least up front but trust me when I say that it isn’t at all that I don’t want you like you want me.” He told her, his mind drifting to something else, wondering just how many men she had laid herself out for and his eyes must have given it away in the way that she looked at him now. “You don’t owe any man anything. Not even me. It isn’t that you’re moving too fast.”

Jack thought about just how to voice what he wanted to, at least enough for her to understand that he liked her… enjoyed her so far but he wasn’t sure he could offer her more. The pair stayed quiet for a moment and he watched her starting to cry. “You know how you mentioned secrets?” He asked, arching a brow and finally calming himself enough to reach out and pull her chin up so she could look at him. He didn’t let his hand linger for long, knowing he was still radiating warmth. “I have one that’s really huge, that is a big part of my life and who I am and it makes me prone to hurting people. I’ve done it before and I’m not supposed to talk about it but my family knows—“ He muttered.

He sat up beside her again, his skin less pink as he locked his gaze on the wall for a moment or two. “I like you. A lot. I like what you’ve been doing and I want more of you but I think I have to take it slow until I know I can control myself. And if you ever want to talk or need to slow down too, I’m okay with holding hands or putting my arm around you.” He smiled softly.

 

Natalie’s hazel eyes narrowed at Jack’s halting explanation for his hesitance, her curiosity eclipsing her distress the more he spoke. She blinked away any lingering emotion threatening to well over her dark lashes, nodding and warmly returning his smile. The young cheerleader knew better than most what it was like to carry heavy secrets. She decided not to press him for now especially when she had no intention of revealing her own hidden shame that he’d come so close to discovering.

“Well I think I can handle taking things a bit slower, as long as I can still do this-” She murmured, a playful grin adorning her full lips as she leaned into his space and gave him a soft, lingering kiss that was just a toe over the line of being chaste. 

Natalie pulled back after a moment and sighed, relaxing again and getting herself more situated on her bed so they could actually do some studying. Jack seemed to follow her cue, popping a grape in his mouth from the fruit tray she’d brought in and completely forgot about in all her panic over him finding her journal.

It was quiet for a few moments while they worked, but Natalie was hardly giving any thought to the words on the pages of her book before her. Her mind was running what he’d told her on repeat, wondering what secret he could possibly have that tied into him not trusting himself not to hurt her. 

Natalie stole long glances at the young man across from her, never expecting to be so perplexed by him but then again the Hale kids were all supposedly a little odd. The way he talked almost made it sound like some kind of physical condition, perhaps a sickness or disorder of some kind? She couldn’t begin to make a guess and only made her want to know more.

Finally she broke the silence between them again, gently clearing her throat, “You know Jack if you ever need somebody to talk to, you can always tell me anything. I know the importance of keeping secrets better than most. So… I’m here, if you need me. Okay?” The young woman told him gently, resisting the urge to press him about the mystery he’d presented to her but just barely.

Jack laid down and propped up on his elbows, opening his text as he absently ate from the friit tray. This was a hell of a lot easier than trying to fight her off and explain while he had to. He smiled at her absently when they leaned closer to one another to study for real this time and again he was happy for it.

He looked to her when she spoke, arching a brow and almost feeling her thoughts about him. Natalie was curious and he really couldn't blame her for having left her in the dark bUT at the same time she had done that to him just as well. "You won't tell me your secret." he teased lightly, hoping she didn't take that bad.

He focused on his text and took out their homework questions. He read off the first question and together they worked but she kept staring at him in a curious manner. "Nat... I appreciate your offer of being there for me. I do." He started, rolling onto his side, "It's something I can't tell you as much as I want to. You have to understand and accept it because I'm not sure I'll ever be allowed to tell another soul. I'm no psycho killer or anything. I promise." He half laughed.

 

Natalie laughed somewhat sheepishly at his counter that she wasn’t being forthcoming herself, raising her brows and shaking her head at his assurance that he wasn’t some kind of crazy killer. “No I’m sure I’ve got nothing to worry about there, I have a... Good sense about people’s true natures. You’d never hurt anybody Jack, not on purpose anyway. I’m sure of that.” She responded a bit more seriously than she intended, blushing lightly and covering it by bending her head back towards her book.

The pair studied till the sun began dipping below the horizon, the days getting shorter all the time the closer they got to December. She tried to rope Jack into staying longer but they boy insisted that he was expected to be back for dinner, mentioning it was his turn this week to help cook and the blonde had to smile at the image of him cooking for the army of kids who called Hale House their home.

“Okay, well I’ll walk you out then.” Natalie said as she stood up, jumping a bit when Jack did the same and it caused his open backpack to plummet off the edge of her bed, it’s contents spilling out across her hardwood floor. Besides his gym clothes and a couple notebooks, there were at least a couple dozen or more slightly rumpled sticky notes in the mess. She glanced over them in confusion till the memory of the note in Jack’s lunch suddenly sprang to her mind.

Jack cursed and dropped to his knees, trying frantically to scoop up all the scattered post-its but there were far too many for him to gather before she knelt and managed to pick up a small stack herself. She heard him ask her not to read them but it was too late, her eyes skimming over the notes in her hand almost automatically. Each brightly colored square of paper had a message scrawled in the most beautiful flowing penmanship she had ever seen, all signed with the name Bia and three hearts. Natalie’s smile grew wider with every one she read aloud.

“Do your best today sweetheart. You’re my brave, handsome prince. Good luck on your test Sparky. Mama B loves you. These… These are all from your foster mom? The note on your bottle at lunch was one of these, wasn’t it?” Natalie asked, her eyes flicking up from the notes to Jack’s very flushed face, “Sparky? Is that your nickname at home?” She couldn’t help but giggle, wondering how he could’ve come by such an unlikely moniker.

Jack was clearly extremely uncomfortable with her seeing the notes, snatching the ones she held and shoving them roughly into his pack along with the others he’d picked up, telling her in a curt tone not to make fun of him but she could tell he was only being sharp with her because he was embarrassed. 

Natalie’s heart quailed a bit seeing him badly crumpling the notes in his haste to get them out of sight when they were obviously precious to him. Her hand shot out to snatch his wrist before he could shove another handful into the bag and her voice held an edge of alarm to it when she spoke his name.

“Jack, stop! Please, don’t wreck them because of me. I wasn’t making fun, I promise. I was only laughing because I think the notes are adorable. Your foster mom writes those for all the kids? She’s so sweet.” She explained gently as she let go of his arm, smiling and hoping he believed her. She’d certainly never had a foster parent who took any care like that, or even remotely showed affection towards her for that matter.

She picked up another note that had fallen from his grasp that simply had a line of graceful X’s and O’s written on it, smiling absently before handing it to him, “You don’t have to be embarrassed by them. They’re treasures.” Natalie insisted, scooting closer to Jack on the floor and reaching in his bag to pull a wad of the notes out again, smoothing them with great care knowing how she would have killed for something like this back when she was in the system unbeknownst to all around her but her adoptive parents.

Jack cursed when his bag spilled opened and not only that but the contents were matter he never wanted a soul to see. Not ever. The notes from his mom fell all over the floor at their feet and he rushed to get them back, hoping she couldn't see.

Natalie picked one up and he stared at her almost wanting it to burst into flame. He probably could manage with these stress levels. "Don't read any of them. Please." He growled at her, baring his teeth when she did just so and started saying them aloud, leading through ones he hadn't grabbed yet.

The brunet shoveled more into his bag and slapped the ones from her hand roughly as she laughed at his expense. "Don't laugh at me!" He roared, he hated being mocked by any one. Her especially. She would tell the world and he knew it. God was it cheesy of him to keep these bullshit notes for so many years. Not only that but to carry them with him every damn day. He was nuts and he knew it.

He crumpled the leftovers up and kept stuffing them away until she yelled to him to stop. "Why?! You were. You were laughing at me! You were thinking about how I must be obsessed or crazy or some shit like that!" He hissed, eyes welling but he didn't want her to see. She reached for others and he grabbed her wrist roughly until he realized how warm his skin was.

Jack let go instantly and panted to keep himself in control while she spoke, her gaze carefully flickering over him as she smoothed out the ones he destroyed. "S-stop. Please." He begged her, not wanting them to he read aloud. "they're for me." He whispered, almost desperate as he sat back and buried his face in shame.

Natalie came to his side, her hand going to his shoulder, asking him why he kept all of them. "I don't know." He mumbled, finally looking up and shaking his head. "Because I take love while I can... worry that she'll decide I'm not worth it anymore and the notes will stop. Her love will stop." He whispered, "They mean so much to me. I look at them all the time... when I'm scared. When I want to end things. When I lose control... please don't tell anyone."

Natalie felt her eyes prick with tears hearing him speak about what the notes meant to him and she kept gently rubbing across his shoulders since he hadn’t pushed her hand away yet like she half expected him to. She wanted so desperately to tell him that she understood his pain, his fear of not being loved all too well, but the words clotted in her throat. She just couldn’t bring herself to reveal her past to anyone, not even someone who might understand it better than most like the young man on the verge of tears beside her.

“Jack. There’s nothing to be embarrassed about, really.” She reiterated gently, hoping now that he was a bit calmer her words might sink in this time, “Love is the most important thing to all of us, we all want it, need it, cling to it as tightly as we can when we find it. Your mom loves you very much, and that’s something to cherish.” Natalie said with a soft smile, brushing a couple tears from her cheeks that had slipped past her long lashes.

“I’m really sorry for hurting your feelings. I honestly just thought the notes were sweet. And I think you’re sweet too for keeping them.” She added, her voice just above a whisper as she leaned in close to his face and kissed his cheek, still quite warm from the rush of emotion he had gone through.

The blonde pulled back and leaned against his side, continuing with her self appointed task of fishing out all the crumpled notes from his bag and smoothing them in her lap as best she could. Jack didn’t speak for a long time but she could feel his gaze on her as she worked on the little slips of paper.

“She has very pretty handwriting. The nicest I’ve seen I think.” Natalie commented absently, reading the words of each note as she pressed them flat with her fingers and set them all in a neat stack by her folded legs. A thought occurred to her and she stood up to go rummage in her desk drawer till she found what she was looking for, a small dark green soft bound photo album she’d gotten for pictures for a camping trip with friends last summer that she still had never bothered to print off photos for and assemble.

“Here, let’s put them in this, it’s not much thicker than a notebook so it shouldn’t be a pain to carry around. And it’ll keep the notes safer.” Natalie prompted, sitting back down on the floor next to Jack and starting to carefully tuck a couple notes in each clear photo pocket, making sure each square of paper was as neat as possible as she worked. Jack still hadn’t said a word, but he’d also made no move to stop her so she took that as a sign that he at least didn’t mind her doing this. She hoped it could at least somewhat make up for hurting his feelings.

Jack stayed still and silent while Natalie worked through straightening out all of the notes he had kept. Every single on since the day he moved in with the Hale family… He knew there had to be a few hundred and in the back of his mind he still wondered if she thought he was strange for having hung onto so many of them.

He glanced up at her when she moved to get something from her desk, settling back beside him with a photo album in hand. Natalie must have understood that he had no objections anymore and was simply thinking and observing while she organized the notes for him. It wasn’t long before she had the entire thing filled with a few pages to spare, he wondered if the few at home would manage to fit with them or not.

She smiled and handed him the album, gazing at him and promising that she really did think it was sweet he felt so close to her like he did. “We aren’t close.” Jack finally said, “She has no idea I even give two shits about her as a person, let alone consider her my mother.” He muttered, taking the book from her and looking through them as if he didn’t trust they were all there. He would be able to tell too, since he knew the exact number and had most all of them memorized by now.

The brunet ran his fingers over the pages, “You feel sorry for me don’t you?” He asked, closing the album and putting it in his bag. He was about to stand and leave without her answer but she grabbed at his wrist and insisted with a look that he stop acting how he was. Nat shook her head, saying she didn’t but she simply understood the importance of having love in your life, no matter where you came from. “I worry sometimes that it’s not love but pity she feels for me. Maybe because my foster father does little to show affection towards me. Really he just favors Chloe, the first at the Hale House.” He shrugged.

“I’ve accepted that I’m not a being meant for love and I’m not one for affection or anything of the sort.” Jack muttered, standing up again and slinging his bag over his shoulder. “I’ll see you around, Natalie. Thank you for this.”

Natalie’s first inclination was to argue with him, to berate him even for cheapening what she saw as a rare, precious act of love by his surrogate mom by dismissing it as mere pity. Even to an outsider it was clear that Jack was adored by his foster mother, and that was something she’d never gotten to experience even remotely in all the shelters and foster homes she bounced around in until she finally found a forever home against all odds.

But the blonde swallowed her reproachful words, not even able to look up at his face when he got up to leave for fear that she would be overwhelmed by the surge of emotions inside her and explain to him in no uncertain terms just how wrong he was and why she knew it. She was afraid of admitting that she knew exactly how he felt, she spent nearly every waking moment terrified that her parents would change their minds, cast her out. She drove herself to be perfect in every way possible so her family and friends wouldn’t see her for the trash she was and turn their backs on her.

But she couldn’t do it. Couldn’t risk losing all she’d built for herself by telling him who and what she really was. Natalie nodded tightly at his thanks, staying planted on the floor and still not meeting his eyes and whispering a wobbly one word farewell when he turned and left her room alone, barely keeping her tears in check till he was out of sight then she broke down into wracking sobs.

Why did her old life have to haunt her this way? Why after all the work she’d done to block out and hide away her past was it all brought so dangerously close to the surface by this boy she hardly knew? The worst part was that for the first time, she really wanted to come clean to someone about her old life. She saw in Jack someone she could share her burden with and have him understand it at least a little, and she in turn could do the same for him. All her instincts screamed at her to tell him the truth, but she recoiled at the thought of what would happen if anyone else were to find out about her.

Natalie stayed curled on her side in a little ball till late into the evening, crying and eventually drifting off into a fitful sleep on the floor. When she woke up a few hours later, she could see under her bed one lonely blue square of paper that they had missed in the clean up. The blonde reached out and grabbed it, reading the words on it and her eyes welled over anew, “I love you just the way you are, never forget it.” She whispered the sweet words aloud, holding the little note close to her chest and crying for Jack and for herself.

The next day at school Natalie had her mask firmly back in place, all the pain and insecurity she’d felt last night carefully hidden away as she roamed the halls, clearing a path before her with her mere presence. She reminded herself that she was still the queen bee here, that no one else knew how dangerously close she’d come to breaking yesterday and it would stay that way, she would make sure of it.

The blonde finally found who she was searching for, Jack was at his locker stowing his books and she came up behind him, gently clearing her throat to get his attention, “Hey,” She started, smiling a bit when he turned to face her and stepping closer in his space so nobody passing by could see what she was holding out to him, the little blue post it she’d been careful not to crumple. 

“Here, I found one more last night after you left. I know things got a little heavy yesterday Jack, but I just want to say this and I won’t bother you again about any of it if you don’t want to talk about it: I don’t pity you. I actually envy you as a matter of fact. Your foster mom loves you very much, and that’s a special thing. I’m a hundred percent positive she knows that you love her too. And... You’re a lot more worthy of love and affection than you think. I’ll see you for lunch I hope.” Natalie pressed the square of paper to his chest as she spoke, letting her hand slip down after he covered it with his own. She smiled up at him and stepped back, turning on her heel and heading for class just as the warning bell rang. 

Jack hadn’t spoken to Natalie all night last night, his mind too full of ideas that everyone in the world, even those who didn’t truly know him like his girlfriend for example, pitied him as a human being. While those at the Hale House pitied him as a supernatural beast with no self control and little worth to their band of misfits. He glanced at the album in his bag when stuffed the rest of his things in his locker. He couldn’t bring himself to stow away the album and let it off his person.

He turned at the sound of Natalie’s voice, hearing it made him realize that even the ten plus hours of not talking to her caused him to miss the sound. He glanced at the note she was giving him, eyes darting up to her’s while she explained how she envied him for having such love from someone like Bia. His brow knitted together, wondering how her parents treated her and what would make her say something like that.

He took the note from her hand and offered a tight smile to her in return, watching he walk away to her class. Jack turned the paper over in his fingers, reading it a dozen times over and it was then that he felt guilt for keeping secrets from Natalie. How could he expect her own honesty if he never did the same for her? He felt after last night he owed her that much so she could make her choice on if she really did think he was worthy of such things, even from his family.

Jack skipped class out of need for time to think, space to clear his head. He only came back to campus from the lacrosse field when the lunch bell rang. Natalie was already seated at their usual meeting place when he stepped up behind her. “I don’t want to be here.” He said, startling her a bit when he took his place next to her. She glanced up, squinting into the sun to see his face and asking why he came then. “No.” He muttered, taking her hand in both of his even as she offered him a funny look. “I don’t want to be at school now. I can’t focus. On anything but you.”

He reached up and tucked her hair behind her ear, meeting her eyes and turning enough that she didn’t have to be blinded by the bright sky behind him. “You don’t quite know me yet. You don’t know what I am and why it is I second guess everything in my life… every person in my life. I want so badly to tell you all of it. I need to see you tonight.” Jack pleaded, spinning her in her seat so they could directly face one another. He put his hands on her thighs, gently squeezing them. “No one has meant so much to me but I need you to know who I am before anything else. I’ll pick you up and we’ll go for a walk and you’ll understand okay?”

Natalie could hardly focus all through her classes leading up to lunch break, a nervous energy making her stomach do flips and her leg bounce rapidly under her desk. She wasn't used to a boy effecting her this much. But she found that the closer lunch time got the more anxious she was to see Jack and find out where they stood, find out what if any impact her words had had on him.

When the midday break finally came the cheerleader knew her nervous stomach wouldn't tolerate even the light lunch she typically allowed herself so she simply settled at the table she and Jack had made their unofficial spot. She waited anxiously for him, wondering after a few minutes if he'd even join her at all. She might have to go and check the bleachers, it was the most likely place he'd be if he didn't show up.

But just before she got up the nerve to go find him, Natalie heard Jack's voice behind her and she sighed inwardly with relief. It was difficult to focus on his face with the sun shining right in her eyes, but she could hear in the urgency of his tone and tell by his body language that the tall brunette was tied up in nearly as many knots as she was.

She listened to him silently, a little taken aback by how adamant Jack was being, speaking of revealing the truth to her, explaining who he really was, did he mean the secret he'd referred to last night? Natalie struggled to keep herself calm as she nodded and put her hands over his on her lap.

"Yes, of course, I'd like that very much Jack. You mean a lot to me too, and like I said you can always tell me anything and everything." Natalie reassured him, smiling and doing her best to keep her spiraling thoughts in check. What would he tell her? Why was he so worried that what he had to say might completely change her opinion of him? It all sounded so painfully familiar, the desperation, the worry. Would she be able to keep herself together tonight? Keep her own secrets safe? She was torn down the middle hoping she would stay strong, but also hoping to finally have a chance to come clean.

"Listen Jack, no matter what you have to tell me tonight, I just want you to know..." Natalie bit her lip, unsure of how to say what she needed to express, "It won't change anything for me. I like you a lot, and I want to know all about you, okay? You're safe telling me anything." She murmured with a soft smile, knowing that if their positions were reversed she'd be aching for similar reassurance.

Jack smiled at her statement, appreciating her assurance that she would still like him no matter what it was he had to say. He wished he could believe that but he really didn’t. The best he could do was trust she wouldn’t run off and tell the world, she’d sound crazy even if she tried to. The Hale family had grown well accustomed to hiding and explaining away mysterious things. “I know I’m safe with you.” He whispered.

He left school right after lunch, his mind still all over the place as he thought about how he would tell her and just how deeply he would go into his secret. What questions might she have? Would she simply run? At least if she did, he would know sooner rather than later that she was no longer worth his time and energy.

Jack paced the house all afternoon, Bia was the only one home with a few of the younger kids who had either gotten out of school early or were too young for it entirely. She asked him how come he felt the need to miss again and while he heard the note of disappointment in him he could also see the worry in her eyes that he hadn’t sat still all day or said much of anything to her at all. “It’s Natalie.” He finally admitted, “I’ve promised to meet her tonight and I’m gonna tell her what I am.”

Bia’s eyes went wide, settling down the infant in her arms and putting her in her play pen. She went to him quickly and held his cheeks, their eyes meeting. She didn’t have to say a word, he just knew what she was thinking. “I’ve never trusted anyone like I trust her, Bia. If I’m going to make this serious between us, she deserves to know before something goes south and I end up hurting her or setting her room ablaze for one reason or another.” He took her hands and squeezed them, “Trust me. I’ll be home in a few hours for lights out.” He assured.

\---

“Hey.” Jack greeted Natalie, his hands in his pockets and his heart racing. He was already heating up, cheeks burning out of nervousness. “Sorry I missed class together but I just couldn’t stay. This is driving me crazy.” He muttered, starting to fidget when she came towards him from her car door.

She shook her head, looking just as worried as Bianca had been earlier. She stuffed her keys and sunglasses in her purse and asked how come they were out here. “Come with me.” He encouraged, starting to walk and with little hesitation she kept in step behind him.

Jack had set up camp in a small clearing a half a mile or so within the woods. He laid out blankets for them to sit on while they talked, packed a few snacks just in case it got late after all of this. If she didn’t run he imagined they would end up talking for… quite some time. The tone in her voice was surprised and worried when she asked what all of this was, her eyes going to the carefully displayed fire he started in the center of a circle of rocks. “It’ll all make sense I promise.”

Natalie was getting more confused by the minute. When they finally arrived at their destination she couldn’t help but feel a little skeptical about this whole evening. The sheltered little clearing he’d led her to had been set up almost as if for some romantic rendezvous, complete with picnic basket and a crackling fire against the light chill in the air.

“Jack… What is all this?” She asked, getting a little worried that maybe this was all some kind of overblown ploy, that he’d managed to appear so harmless and sincere to her that he in fact had been the one manipulating her, and in the end he simply wanted what all other guys did from her only he’d managed to trick her into actually caring about him, actually wanting her giving herself to him to mean something.

The young brunette assured her that everything would become clear, gesturing for her to take a seat on one of the blankets he’d spread on the leaf littered forest floor. Natalie shrugged off her purse and slowly settled right by the fire, grateful for it’s warmth at least. She made herself take even breaths, trying not to suspect the worst of her companion but with her history it was difficult not to.

“So this all seems very… Cozy. Why don’t you join me?” Natalie ventured after a few moments of somewhat strained silence, patting the blanket beside her and offering a smile despite the apprehension making her gut twist into knots. She could play along with his little game if she needed to, then turn the tables on him when he least expected it. She wasn’t about to be the mouse in this game, not for an instant.

But Jack surprised her yet again, rather than taking a seat next to her, he laced his hands behind his head, pacing back and forth a few times before finally sinking down into a crouch on the opposite side of the fire from her. 

Natalie’s delicate brow furrowed as she studied the young man, he was obviously nervous, and his claims that he had some heavy secret to reveal to her seemed more reasonable again. What could he possibly have to tell her that he was so worried about he went to all this trouble and he was still struggling to spit it out?

“You can tell me anything Jack, remember? Come on, why don’t you come and sit with me, help keep me warm hmm?” She prompted once more, hoping his odd behavior was going to start making sense soon like he had claimed.

 

Jack could almost feel the worry within Natalie and he wanted to make sure things were set right, that she was comforted but… how could he promise that when the very secret he wanted to tell her might send her running for the hills in a heart beat? He settled on his knees, palms against the fire as if warming himself. “I know I can.” He muttered, leaning into the flames.

Natalie stared at him, her eyes going wider the farther he reached but the flames lessened under his palms. He kept his gaze towards her as she finally gasped for him to stop before he hurt himself. By then his hand was to the ground, feeling ash beneath his fingers and then putting out the flame with a bit of a wince as he accepted the energy into himself.

The blonde’s mouth hung opened, awestruck by what had just happened but seeming to be trying to logically find a way for this to have happened. Much to his surprise she got to her knees to look over at his arms, seeing no sign of injury as she asked him what happened. Jack was breathing heavy with strain, feeling his lower half of his arms filled with warmth. It had been a long time since he tried to do anything this big. “I’m showing you… what I am.” He huffed.

He looked at her, eyes burning red like a roaring fire themselves as he snapped his fingers and again the flames appeared between them. Jack eyed them, taking a few slow breathes and for once he felt… powerful but controlled in the same moment. He shifted towards her, careful as to not startle her at his movements.

“You won’t run right?” He whispered, “Please? I have to show you just one more thing… you can ask me anything you want.” He muttered, hoping she would give him the chance and again she simply stayed still for him. “I’m going to touch you. Just your hands.” He vowed, sitting up behind her and guiding her hands. He cupped his own around hers, closing them up and shutting his eyes. He could feel the backs of her fingers warm under his and quickly he opened them. As her fingers parted a flame burst from just above her palms, shaped into a heart and he chuckled happily at his abilities.

Ever so gently he checked her hands for injuries, finding none he let her go. “I’m sort of good with fire.” He muttered.

Natalie was having such a hard time accepting what she was seeing, the thought crossed her mind that she had passed out somehow and was now experiencing some kind of vivid hallucination or dream. Jack somehow managed to extinguish the fire in front of her with his bare hands, and without getting so much as a singe mark on his skin. Even after she inspected him closely, she could see no damage.

She thought she couldn’t get any more shocked, but then with nothing more than a snap of his fingers, the young man had reignited the blaze. Seeing the flame colored hue his eyes took on doing so, she couldn’t help but wonder if he had some link to the fire itself that she couldn’t begin to comprehend.

The blonde felt almost separated mentally from what she was taking in with her physical senses, a voice in her mind insisting that what her eyes were telling her was impossible, it had to be a trick somehow. Yet she couldn’t fathom how such things could be staged, how he could have no burns and create fire out of thin air, the evidence was undeniable that what she had witnessed was real. 

She sat frozen in awe and confusion as Jack came to settle behind her, and for a fleeting moment it occurred to Natalie that she ought to be afraid, ought to be running for her life and her sanity but she was far too amazed, too fascinated to have any room left inside her for fear at least in this moment.

He was so careful with her as he cupped her hands in his it seemed like he expected her to be afraid as well, but the blonde felt only an overwhelming curiosity, an overload of so many questions she wanted to ask that she couldn’t even begin to speak.

Natalie felt her hands starting to get almost uncomfortably warm within his, Jack’s own flesh feeling like it had risen several degrees in temperature but then again for all she knew maybe it had. When the heat became just on the edge of unbearable, Jack suddenly pulled her palms apart and again out of nowhere a flame appeared, hovering just above her skin and flickering vaguely in the shape of a heart.

The blonde felt the soft rumble of Jack’s chuckle against her back, despite her shock a huge grin spread across her face as she gazed at the beautiful heart of flame flickering before her eyes. Her brow arched at his comment and she finally was able to form words to speak again.

“This… This is your secret Jack? It’s the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen. How is this possible?” She asked breathlessly, leaning forward to peer more closely at the fire but having to flinch back just as quick since it gave off heat like any other flame she’d gotten too close to. Somehow he was keeping her hands from being hurt by it, but again she couldn’t begin to fathom how any of what was happening was possible.

Jack grinned as he watched her, taking everything in and seeming to for the most part accept just what he had to show her. He put a leg on either side of her, settling with his back against her front absent mindedly. He let the flame dim down to nothing and gave a nod, “Yeah this is my secret. Pretty dark huh?” He teased a bit but, really he could make it such if he really wanted.

Her words surprised him, claiming that she was actually stunned by what he could do and maintain control. He guided her hands down, willing her to calm a bit and hoping she wasn’t harmed at all. “I’m different.” He whispered, “Very different. I’m something called an Ifrit. I’m a myth or a legend, whatever you want to call me, only I do exist.”

He rubbed his hands along her thighs, without thinking he kept her warm, the heat of his palms just enough to keep her that way. “I can control fire. I can make it, put it out, force it to do anything I want. All I have to do is imagine it happening and it does.” He murmured, leaning over her shoulder and speaking against her ear. “I’m not entirely controlled yet but I’m learning. I have some days where the stress of life is too much or I can’t keep a lid on it and I have to run home or any place I feel safe and remind myself to take a breath or two.”

“The Hale House isn’t a place for just any kid… Derek and Bia only take in those that would never be wanted any place else. Kids like me, with insane abilities that the world would run from. They teach us to manage it so we can feel as human as possible… So we can live with everyone else.”


End file.
